Inorganic substances such as ceramic and other materials hard to cut are difficult to shear or thermally cut with a gas or the like. Conventionally, a circular wheel made of a hone and binder is used. The wheel is pressed under a fixed pressure against the ceramic workpiece, which is fed with a coolant, i.e. oil or water, to cut the workpiece while being
The above-mentioned conventional cutting method has the defect that the cutting speed is limited and the durability of the sheet hone is short.
When the sheet hone is rotated while constantly pressing against the work under a fixed pressure, the sheet hone is always kept in contact with the workpiece against the entire surface being cut. Therefore, the contact area is large, acting to break the rotation of the sheet hone, reducing the cutting speed, and resulting in lengthening of the cutting operation.
Further, when the sheet hone is rotated under a constant fixed pressure, the penetration of the coolant (oil or water) onto the part to be cut will be difficult, and neither the sheet hone nor the workpiece will be sufficiently cooled. Consequently, both the sheet hone and the workpiece will be heated to a high temperature, the cutting capacity will be reduced and the workpiece denatured and separated by deterioration or the like of the binder. In some cases, the sheet hone will break.